—Aria Lockword was troubled.
She had become an adventurer and formed a party, but she couldn't help wondering whether she was truly contributing anything.
She practiced wielding her spear in the garden of House Cerclie's manor, but her impatience kept the tip from landing where she wanted.
When her sweaty hands slipped along the grip, she took a break to catch her breath.
"Hah, hah... I'm the only one being left behind."
The party members now numbered four: Lyle and Novem from the year below, plus Poyopoyo—the automaton whose name still hadn't been decided.
Clara, whom they had met in Aramsass, and Miranda would probably lend a hand if asked.
Amid all that, Aria alone was growing anxious.
She believed she was fulfilling her role as a front-liner, but the atmosphere around her suggested she was the only one falling behind.
Lyle's finishes weren't always clean, but he still had real accomplishments to show for it.
You could see it just by watching up close.
He used multiple Skills simultaneously, and he had mastered them.
Even though she also carried a red jewel just like him, she couldn't use hers the way Lyle did.
Support-type Skills and front-line Skills were different.
But even judging by the standard of mastery alone, Aria was clearly inferior to Lyle.
She could use magic too, but she couldn't cast high-difficulty spells the way Novem could.
The days when House Lockword still held the title of Viscount were long gone.
Rather than practicing magic, she had spent her days worrying about how to get by.
Even when she took on piecework to support the household, her father spent whatever money came in, and nothing ever remained.
In the end, she had even seriously considered selling her body.
No matter what she did, it was pointless—
She remembered her father's favorite saying.
He was a man with nothing but pride, and he despised the idea of becoming an adventurer.
Even bringing it up would set him off on a rampage, so she always had to tread carefully.
"What... am I even doing?"
Aria burned with frustration because she knew her own abilities.
Whether on the front lines or in the back casting magic, she couldn't hold a candle to Rael, let alone Novem.
The two of them had honed their martial arts and magic with everything they had, and the gap between them had grown vast.
Aria clutched the red jewel hanging from her neck.
The jewel had recorded a total of four Skills.
If she added her own Skill—Quick—that made five.
Quick allowed for continuous movement, but it placed an enormous burden on the body.
It was a Skill she had developed herself, so using it wasn't painful. However, that still came with the caveat that it was tough compared to the other Skills.
Enhancing the body, hardening a weapon, unleashing a powerful strike, launching slash projectiles.
Looking at the other Skills, any front-line adventurer would surely envy the lineup.
An adventurer she had once met back in Darion had said something to her.
"A combination of Skills, huh?"
The jewel memorized Skills for better or worse, and programming it with specific Skills was an enormous pain.
If that was the case, it would be better to use a Mana Tool that had Skills imbued into it.
The right combination — if you had two Skills, one to raise your attack power and one to lower the enemy's defense, you could take them down effectively.
It would raise your own attack power while simultaneously reducing the enemy's defense.
The gap would only grow wider and wider.
However, the Jewel had one major drawback.
"I can't use Mana Tools, and I can't afford to buy them right now... In the end, I have no choice but to master this thing."
Aria let out a sigh as she looked at the red Jewel.
Her clothes clung to her body with sweat, and resting for a moment seemed to take the edge off the heat.
But now the sweat-soaked fabric plastered against her skin had started feeling genuinely unpleasant.
The walls were tall enough that no one could peek in from outside, so Aria took off her outer garment.
"I'm not soaked all the way to my underclothes, at least."
Her clothes had absorbed enough sweat to wring out.
Aria picked up her spear and headed for the room.
As she made her way toward the door leading from the garden into the manor, Poyopoyo emerged carrying a laundry basket.
"Oh my, were you in the middle of training? Whoops — don't come any closer, you're flinging sweat everywhere. I have our precious Master's laundry here too."
The sharp-tongued Automaton Poyopoyo treated Laiel as her Master, but everyone else received a fairly standard level of courtesy.
Novem was the sole exception.
"You... you really do treat Laiel differently from everyone else, don't you?"
When Aria said this, Poyopoyo replied with a straight face.
"And what of it? I was activated for the sole purpose of serving my Master. I'm sorry, but are you and the others just extras? Ah, well... if my Master were to tell me to serve Aria with the resolve to die for her, I would do so with that same level of commitment. However, my loyalty is directed solely toward that Chicken—"
As Poyopoyo launched into her lengthy monologue, Aria stared at her with a deadpan look and spoke.
"That's fine. But still, why does Lyle always have nothing but girls around him..."
What she recalled were events from before arriving at Aramsass.
Remembering how Lyle had made an indirect confession on a beautiful moonlit night, saying something along the lines of "The moon is shining so beautifully," Aria felt her cheeks flush.
At that, Poyopoyo—
"Would you mind moving out of my way? It cuts into my drying time. Actually, since you reek of sweat, why don't you go take a bath instead?"
Aria looked at Poyopoyo.
"...I hate you."
Poyopoyo fired back.
"What a coincidence. I have no interest in anyone besides that Chicken. Oh, except that woman, of course!"
It wasn't much of a coincidence, and having been told flatly that Poyopoyo had no interest in her, Aria let Poyopoyo pass first and then entered the manor herself.
A strange automaton, but she handled all the housework in the manor perfectly.
If someone told Aria to do the same, it would be flat-out impossible.
"Seriously, why did I summon something this weird... idiot."
Watching Poyopoyo hang laundry outside, Aria muttered to herself—
I had come to the library to read books about adventurers.
I was specifically checking on party composition.
"...So to field six people in combat, you need a support structure of equal or greater scale?"
I was thinking about ways to conquer the Aramsass Dungeon without relying on Skills.
The first idea that came to mind was the simple, most textbook answer: gather more people.
But to do that, I needed to recruit trustworthy people as allies.
I had come to Aramsass in the first place to find companions.
Since that wasn't going well, I could already tell this approach would take too much time.
"Taking time is fine, but the problem is—"
—that during all that time, I wouldn't be able to use Skills.
If I didn't have Skills, then I should just operate as though I didn't.
But if the things I had been relying on until now were no longer usable, then I had to obtain new power.
Training myself went without saying, but I also needed to acquire the skills necessary for acting as part of a party.
"Confirming our position inside the Dungeon. Then scouting, detecting and disarming traps, and securing safety on top of that… The Fifth and Sixth Generations' Skills were just too convenient."
Once those Skills that had been compensating for everything were gone, I felt the inconvenience all at once.
The Second Generation spoke.
"Using their Skills as a set is an incredible deal, isn't it? Each one is handy on its own, but they really manifested in such a perfect combination."
Skills manifest differently depending on the individual.
For example, even with twins, there was no guarantee that similar Skills would appear.
The books said that factors like personal growth and desires played into it.
Making one's Skills manifest by targeting them was extremely difficult.
"To compensate for that, I'd need specialist roles… but mastering them isn't feasible."
Mastering them wasn't the issue itself.
I believed I could do it if I tried, and in fact I could, but the time it took to master them—along with the years required to learn the other necessary techniques—was a massive investment.
If possible, I didn't want to spend that much time.
Once the party came together in Aramsass, I had been planning to head to Baim, the free city known as the City of Adventurers.
Ceres—given that even the First Generation had called her a monster, I believed it was dangerous to stay around her for too long.
(I wonder when that capricious Ceres will take an interest in my direction... No, I get the feeling she’s already forgotten about me.)
It was impossible to predict what the free-spirited Ceres would do next.
That was back when I still got along with my parents...
(Wait, what kind of kid was Ceres, really?)
The memories I could recall were from when I was ten and onward.
I had interacted with my younger sister, Ceres, as an older brother. That was how it was supposed to be. I had no memory of doing anything that would particularly earn her resentment.
Then, suddenly, the mansion began to revolve around Ceres...
I shook my head, cutting off that line of thought.
(Is it one of her Skills? Or something else... No, I’ll stop thinking about it for now.)
I turned my gaze back to my book, deciding to consider new party formations that didn’t rely on Skills.
——Novem was inspecting the room after Shannon had cleaned it.
"I see. Her sharp eyes are certainly a fact. She’s cleaned it very nicely. I should praise her for this later."
Thinking that Shannon herself would probably be reluctant to accept it, Novem was about to leave the room when a voice called out to her.
She didn’t startle, having already sensed the presence approaching quietly.
It was Miranda.
"Oh? Where’s Shannon?"
"She’s in the garden with Poyopoyo right now, bringing in the laundry. Welcome back, Miranda."
As Novem smiled, Miranda returned the smile.
"I see. I came to see how she was doing, so that’s a shame."
Novem had sensed that Miranda had intentionally concealed her presence. She also knew that Miranda hadn't done so to surprise Shannon.
She had approached because she knew Novem was here.
"Did you... want to see me?"
As Novem asked about the reason for her visit, Miranda's expression shifted.
She looked serious. Though she seemed to be hiding something beneath her academy uniform, there were two short swords tucked behind her waist —.
While noting that Miranda was on quite high alert, Novem continued to interact with her as usual.
"You said you had something to ask?"
"Something to ask? I have something to ask as well."
Tension filled the air between them, but neither seemed particularly bothered by it. If either made a move, the atmosphere suggested a fight could break out in Shannon's room at any moment.
What Miranda wanted to know was about Novem herself.
"Shannon told me. That you don't seem to be human... but that's strange, isn't it? You don't seem to be an Automaton either. That one was only just activated by our professor and became the talk of the town. And you've been with Laiel for a long time..."
Novem was pleased to note the change in how Miranda referred to Laiel — from "Laiel-kun" to just "Laiel".
She really did need to keep Miranda in check if she wanted Laiel to seriously build a harem.
"I am Novem of House Foxes. Nothing more, nothing less. Being feared... that's how it's always been, so I've never really minded."
Watching Novem tilt her head, Miranda, who was leaning against the door frame, simply murmured, "I see."
(She's still on guard.)
Then, Novem asked the question she had wanted to ask.
"My family, House Foxes, has a long-standing relationship with House Walt. Through that connection, I know... House Cerclie is linked to House Walt, isn't it? You should have met with people from House Walt several times in Central?"
The "people from House Walt" meant Ceres.
As far as Novem knew, Ceres had been treated as the next head of the family ever since Laiel passed the age of ten.
It was said that there was a beautiful woman from House Walt in high society.
House Walt was now a family of considerable power.
It was not unusual for them to be invited to parties in Central, or for families with ties to them to have contact.
"You knew all along... Yes, I knew about Laiel too. I was surprised you were with Aria, but I admit I was somewhat curious."
Novem highly valued Miranda — someone who had not been enchanted by Ceres, despite their connection.
"I see. You could have informed your family, so why didn't you?"
Miranda raised both hands in a gesture of surrender.
"If I had moved that way, I thought you — and Shannon too — would have me killed."
Novem thought it was a terrible misunderstanding, but corrected her.
"I wouldn't go that far. I'd simply ask you to leave from here. Still, even after everything that was done to you, you still care for your sister."
Miranda lowered her gaze slightly.
"Shannon, who can't see, had been treated quite harshly... As someone who knows that, I want to protect her. I know she holds a grudge against me, but that's only because I was acknowledged by that woman, nothing more."
That woman was undoubtedly Ceres, Novem mused quietly.
"You're kind."
"Well, we're sisters. Though I don't get along well with the second and third daughters."
It seemed Miranda's sisters had a complicated situation. Novem had vaguely understood this from the fact that Miranda, as the eldest daughter, was here in this place.
"...If you would refrain from making any moves toward Lord Laiel, I won't do anything. Ah, but... I won't stop you from becoming romantically involved. I heard it was love at first sight."
Hearing that, Miranda burst out laughing.
"You — you were awake?!"
When Novem smiled brightly, Miranda flushed red and walked away from the spot. Whether she was angry or not, her strides were wider than usual, and she seemed to be deliberately making noise with each step.
She was showing more human emotions than before.
Novem preferred the current Miranda to the old one, who had always given off an impression of being nothing more than a good person.
"I'm a little envious."
With that, Novem also stepped out of Shannon's room.
I had been reading through reference materials at the library, and now I was walking along the streets of Aramsass.
I had come up with several ideas for strengthening the party, so I planned to head back and consult with Novem and the ancestors about whether any of them could be put into practice.
My head felt heavy from thinking so much, so I decided to take a leisurely stroll on the way home.
The area was full of academy students, and even the ordinary people walking along the roads gave off a different impression from those in other cities.
Being called an academic city, it stood to reason that people here valued knowledge and were well-educated.
That said, it was also true that there was a prevailing attitude of looking down on those who weren't educated.
On the streets—
"You don't even know that? Even children know that much!"
"W-What did you say?!"
Most of the arguments revolved around this kind of topic. There were plenty of people who boasted about their knowledge and belittled others for being less learned.
It was certainly an interesting place, but if asked whether I wanted to live here permanently, I had my doubts.
The city itself was cluttered and chaotic, and personally, I would rather build a house somewhere quiet and peaceful.
To have a wife, to have children—
(Huh, for some reason I can't picture it.)
When it came to happy endings in stories, the hero would typically be celebrated and revered. Or more commonly, the pattern was to live quietly with a spouse.
I yearned for the latter, but I couldn't envision it at all.
"Well, for now I guess I'll just focus on breaking through the thirtieth floor of the Dungeon."
I shifted my mindset and walked down the street, figuring that eventually I'd be able to imagine that kind of thing too.
One of Aramsass's best qualities was that there were very few rough characters around. Conversely, that also meant there were extremely few places to have fun.
There were no gambling dens. Bookshops, private academies, and dojos were all well-represented, but entertainment options felt scarce by comparison.
Performers putting on shows in the streets were prohibited as well, so outside of festivals, there wasn't much in the way of amusement.
From what I'd heard, the main form of entertainment in this city was going to a tavern at night and drinking while listening to music. There had been places like that in Darion too.
To put it in extreme terms, even though the city was large, there were very few places that were actually fun.
"No wonder adventurers keep leaving one after another. I mean, I'm sure some adventurers like it this way... but there's nowhere to spend money."
It would be ideal for people who wanted to hone themselves, but for adventurers with a certain level of skill, the city must have felt tedious.
That was the academic city of Aramsass.
But at the same time, I found myself thinking...
"Huh, now that I mention it, I really don't have any hobbies."
Both swordsmanship and magic—I'd only sharpened those techniques because they were necessary.
Books were for gaining knowledge. Well, I did enjoy reading, but... I suddenly realized that beyond that, I didn't really have anything that could be called a hobby.
I'd read in a book that hobbies were essential in life.
I murmured to myself on a quiet street.
"Maybe I should try finding a hobby too."
And then the Fourth Generation said—
"From the outside, womanizing sure looks like your hobby. But hey, having a hobby is a good thing. I used to love counting the gold coins I kept locked away in my safe."
Was that even a hobby? As I was mulling that over, the Fifth Generation spoke.
"...I used up all of the Fourth Generation's gold to bring home concubines."
For some reason, the Fifth Generation said it like he was proud of it — as if to say, "Yeah, I did that!" It was rare to see the Fifth Generation show any emotion, but—
"What the hell did you just do?!"
The gold-loving Fourth Generation completely lost it.
(Back in the day, I used to worry about my mana even for something like this, but lately it hasn't bothered me at all.)
I remembered how I used to collapse at the drop of a hat and thought that I didn't want to experience this kind of growth.
A voice came from the Jewel.
"You're annoying!! It was necessary to solve the problems you left behind, wasn't it! I had to fight with you plenty too when I became head of the household!"
The Sixth Generation moved in to calm down the Fifth Generation, who was firing back.
The Sixth Generation gave off a wild impression, but he was somehow soft when it came to the Fifth Generation.
"Fifth Generation, please calm down. If you explain slowly, they'll understand."
That was the Seventh Generation.
"Ah, that matter. It was indeed a problem caused by the Fourth Generation. The Third Generation was involved as well, but there's no point saying anything to the Third Generation since he died in battle."
The Third Generation also chimed in.
"...Did I do something?"
Then the Fifth Generation spoke in a low voice.
"No, you didn't. That's exactly why it became such a huge problem. Because of that, I..."
It seemed that House Walt had plenty of generational conflicts of its own.
(I wonder what happened.)
It was a topic I was curious about, so I decided to ask about it when we got back.